Football practice apparatus



y 8, 1952 w. F. BURKE ET AL FOOTBALL PRACTICE APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19, 1950 5 5 R r mw w 3 M V ,w M 7 m n 7 M 4 mm 4 p Y B July 8, 1952 w. F. BURKE ET AL FOOTBALL PRACTICE APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1950 Anna [r5 y 1952 w. F. BURKE ETAL 2,602,666

FOOTBALL PRACTICE APPARATUS Filed June 19, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l atented July 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE "FOOTBALL rancrlcii ArPARA'liirs William F. Burke and Roger calla, Athens dhio Application June 19, 1950, Serial'No. 168,954

3 Claims.

is particularly concerned with live football practice dummies which are articulated with respect to their support and which may move or be moved bodily in simulation of players in both ofiensive and defensive maneuvers. Anv important feature of football training is the development of cooperative teamwork and tim-V ihg so that the overall power of the team is'far greater than the mere addition of'the individual strength and skill of the separate players. In offensive plays such cooperation and timing is particularly important since the success of the ball" carrier is frequently dependent upon the ability" of the linesmen 'to open apath for him' through the opposing team. In such a play not only muste'a'ch lines man hurl his opponent in a given direction from the path selected, but such action must be in such timed relation with similar action by each of the other linesiiien and in such timed relation with the movements of the ball carrier thata way cleared for him in the exact manner ordered by the signals and at the preeise mornent when he has reached the line ahdis capable of profiting by it. o P a tice. dumm e ave, h' q e e injootball training butiorthe most part such dummieshave been individual and used primarily for tackling practice. Frequently such dummies are reely s s e d d p to esi ance. exce t in so r s t r mass r s moveme tmi res n o the Play tt s Block pieces have also beenemployed which are b i rmorab inres n e to he c n d 12 brasroup of laye s u i th tt asadq S de ices simu a e a r of se a a e op os players andlin neither case do they providea means of practicing or demonstrating the role of each indivdual player with respect to his individual opponent either as towhat he should door the necessary relation of his timing with that of his fellow players. Y 7 v v p In, defensive practiceit is also desirable to provide means by which the player may be trained to receive the shock of an opponents attack and preferably to subject a line of individual trainees to the simultaneous shock of a charging line. None of the practice devices heretofore used 'is capable of simulating such experiences. 7 V 7 It is "therefore among the objects of the present invention'to provide anindividual dummy which may be moved by the individual player in a manner such as to familiarize the player with his specific duties in relation to specific plays by ropes to move without 7 vide for a plurality of suc 2 ,7 which are to be c irieuout. Incarryingout this object the dummy is both 'pivotally and bodily movable and arranged to resist such movement in the manner of resistance by an opposing player, e W H be e V It is a further object of the invention to prohdummies to simulate aline of defensive players so as'to permit training of agroup of players in cooperative and timed oiiensive play so that they may become skilled in opening, a line for the back field.

Another object'of the present invention-is to providea' novel and improved dummy mounting whereby the practice dummy is supported for both pivotal and bodily movement so as topermit actuation by the player in simulation of deflection of an 'oncomingloppo'nent. I

Another important object of the present inventionis to provide motivation for a dummy whereby the dummy may be propelledwith'res'pct to the player so as to give life like simu 'a tion to the attack on the player by an opponent; Another important object of the present invention is to providea new and improved cone troi' mechanism whereby the coach or other supervisor may at his discretion and by remote control actuate the dummy in a simulation or attack;

i .Numersus' other. objects and features of' t e,

v be apparent from a consi'deration "or the following" Specification when taken, in eonjunctioii' with the" accompanying rawings; in which: v, o

Figure lie a perspective view showing airagmentary section of a'piurai' arrangement-10f the dummies of the present invention; together with an illustration of the manner in which the players" may attack "the dummiesin' timed cooperative manner to open a path for the ball t e or y Y F re, 2. s s the ann rin ii defensive training. V

Figure "sisato'p plan fragmentary view partly in section snowi'ns' the dummy mounting disclosed. in Fi'gfire'2.,. V o

Figure 4 'isa fragmentary sectional view taken on the linesj l- 4 of Figu're3.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse on the lines 5-5 of Figure 4, and I Figure 6 is a detailed fragmentary section taken on the lines 6-6 of Figure 3.

In'general terms the structure of the vpresent invention may be defined as comprising a suitable dummy support by which a dummy or a present invention will similar to' metre l Sissies the device may be used in section taken plurality thereof may be arranged in elevated position with respect to the playing ground, which support includes one or more track members within which a dummy supporting trolley is mounted from which the dummy is suspended by pivotal means so as to provide for pivotal motion of the dummy on a horizontal axis. The invention provides for a pivotal movement of the track on a vertical axis remote from the location of the dummy in such manner as to permit a deflection of the dummy by bodily side movement in addition to the horizontal pivotal movement of the dummy. Movement of the trolley supporting the dummy along the track is resisted by spring means so that in offensive play the action of the dummy is insimulation of the resistance of an opposing player. The spring resistancemeans further provides for propelling the dummy along the trolley so as to simulate the action of an attacking player and a remote control is provided so that a coach may simulate surprise attacks upon the players. By the use of a plurality of dummies an entire team may be simulated. The spring means is such that the dummies may resist movement by the players and the players may resist and halt, defiect and even reverse movement of the dummies. It will be understood that the dummies are not necessarily used in the manner here suggested during the practice and the invention provides all the desirable features of fixed or stationary dummies as well as dummies which are alive inthe sense that they are suspended forfree motion in response to attack by the player.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that the supporting structure of the present invention includes a horizontal main beam. l preferably in the form of a channel beam maintained in any desired manner in elevated relation to the playing field as by the supporting posts i. suitably mounted in securing anchors |2. It will of course be understood that the manner of supporting the beam H] in elevated position is of no patentable significance and various supporting arrangements may be provided therefor.

Pivotally mounted between the upper and lower flanges l3 of the beam It by vertical pivot pins hi1 there is. one or more right angularly extending horizontal tracks l5 which are preferably of substantially angular inverted C-shape formation having a top cross web It, side webs I l1 and spaced lower flanges l8 (see Fig; 5). Mounted upon' the flanges l8 of the track I53 are two pairs'of rollers I9 of a trolley 20. The trolley 29 comprises a pair of spacedsubstantially triangular side pieces 2| arranged with an apex thereof extending, downwardly between the space 22 formed between the flanges It of the track N. The. inner or forward end of the trolley 20, that is the end nearest the beam H3, is provided with a transversely extending axle 23 which passes through the side plates 2| and has mounted on either side one pair of the two pairs of rollers l9. At the outer or opposite end of the plates 2| a similar transversely extending axle 24 is providedon the external extensions of which the other pair of rollers i9 is mounted. The trolley; also includes a transversely extending catch bar 25 which islocated outwardly beyond the outer axle 24. At the downwardly extending apex of the triangular plates 2| there is also provided transverse pivot pin 39 upon which is suspended between the plates 2| a dummy shaft 3| upon which is mounted the dummy proper 32 which may be of any desired shape, configuration or structure elected. The dummy shaft 3| is provided with a bearing portion 33 engaging the pivot pin 30 and extends upwardly therefrom to a point substantially in the plane of the axles 23 and 24 at which point the shaft terminates in a bifurcated portion 35 between the furcations of which-there is mounted a'pin 31 which is adapted to receive the-inner end 31'01 a dummy spring 38. The opposite end 39 of the spring 38 is engaged with the outer transverse axle 24. Be-

tween the plates 2| there isalso provided a stop web' ifl which is in vertical alignment with the rear face of the dummy shaft 3|. This arrangement is such that the dummy shaft may be pivotally moved in clockwise direction about the pin 3%) transverse of the track which movement is restrained by the spring 38. Opposite pivotal movement from the vertical is precluded by the upper portion of the diunmy shaft abutting against the stop 49].

By this means of suspension of the dummy shaft on the trolley it will be noted that a certain amount of give is permitted when the dummy strikes or is struck by one vof the players so that the dummy may yield under such force to move rcarwardly with respect to the trolley which movement is restrained by the tension of the spring 38. However, it will be noted that by means of the web 48 the spring is restrained against movement of the dummy forwardly of the pin 33 and during playing action no such forward movement with respect to the pin or the trolley is permitted.

The inner or forward axle 23 of the trolley 26 is engaged by the outer end =43 of an elongated driving spring I which extends within thetrack [5 towards the beam i0, its opposite forward end 52 being secured to the vertical beam pivot pin l4. As will be hereinafter explained the spring ii is normally under tension when the trolley is in its outer position and upon release of the trolley the spring 4| acts to propel the trolley with the dummy towards the direction of the beam H). For retaining the trolley in its outer position with the spring M under tension, the catch bar 25 is engaged by'a catch member e5 which is mounted at the outer end of the track for pivotal movement about a pivot pin 56; The free outer end of the'catch 45 is engaged by the armature 41 of a solenoid 48 which upon energization draws the armature upwardly to rock the catch in clockwise direction, as shownin Figure 4, thus withdrawing the head is of the catch from engagement with the bar 25 and thus permitting the spring ll to forcibly and rapidly draw the trolley inwardly towards the beam It. While the solenoid is may be energized in any desired manner, or a mechanioal equivalent for release of the trolley 'may be used, the solenoid is preferably controlled by means of a conductor 5d connected with a manual switch 52 which may be in the hands of the coach, indicated at 53. Thus by remote control the coach may release the trolley at any desired time with or without notice to the players (here indicated at 5 3) so as to simulate an attacking play by an opposing team;

Mounted adjacent the beam ID on the under side of the track l5 and centrally located with respect thereto so as to be in direct alignment with the upper portion of the dummy shaft 3|, there is provided a stop pin 60 which is mounted within a stop casing 61 (seeFigure 6) and which is urged; in outward extension from the casing lilfliby, a spring 62. This arrangement is such that; as the dummyis propelled inwardly: toward the beamilll by tension of theispring 4lit1wil1 strikethe pin filliwhich will yieldablystop'the inward motion of thetrolley toward theibeam. In order to provide fora side deflectionof the dummy in simulation of a deflection of an oncoming player by the shoulder thrust or straight arm of the opposite player, the track 15 is pivotally mounted on the pin I4 as hereinbefore mentioned. In order to restrain the free lateral motion of the dummy there is provided a pair of oppositely disposed obliquely arranged struts, generally indicated by the numeral 10. The beam ends of struts 10 which are secured to the beam II] by pins 1 I while the opposite track ends of the struts 1a are secured between a pair of spaced ears 12 mounted on the sides of the track adjacent the outer ends of the track and are secured between such ears 12 by a pin 13. As best illustrated in Figure 3 the struts are composed of telescopic members including an outer piston element 74 and an inner cylinder element 15. Within the cylinder element 15 a spring 16 is mounted the outer end of which abuts the inner end of the piston element 14 and thus urges the piston element outwardly towards the track l5. It will of course be understood that a pair of oppositely disposed struts H! are provided for each of the track members and thus their opposite and equal thrust will normally retain the track in a position of normal angularity with respect to the beam l0. However, as the dummy is struck by a player or as a player strikes the dummy whether at its outer position as retained by the catch 45, or during its motion inwardly, a bodily deflection of the dummy sideways with respect to the player is permitted, which movement is restrained by the action of the spring 16 within the struts 10.

As briefly referred to hereinbefore, the present invention lends itself readily to the provision of a single supporting structure for a plurality of tackling dummies whereby the dummies may be arranged in formation so as to simulate an opposing team. As indicated in Figure 2, a second track [5a may be arranged for pivotal support on the beam Ill and be guided in such pivotal movement by the restraining influence of the struts a and a dummy 32a may be supported from a trolley 29a in the manner hereinbefore described with respect to the dummy 32.

As may be seen from Figure 1, in use as a charging line the team may move the dummies sideways or rearwardly against their motivating spring and thus open holes for the ball carrier. The essential training in timing for offensive plays is thus achieved, as well as coordination of line players with the back field. It will also be understood that the invention is in no way limited to football practice but may be used in various means and manner to simulate entirely different procedures as, for instance, in military training for bayonet practice and the like.

When used in defense training, as shown in Figure 2, the dummies are retracted against the tension of their springs and are latched in such retracted position. Upon release under the control of the coach the entire line of individual players is subjected to the shock of attack from the individual dummies.

Having thus set forth one preferred embodiment of our present invention it will be understood'that numerous chan es, modi icat ons; and the'fulliuse'of equivalents may be resurgent the practice of the; in enti on withoutdeparting 1. In a practice device, a horizontal supporting beam, a track pivotally-mounted-at one end;

on the beam for movement about a vertical axle. means for yieldably restraining said track against pivotal movement including a. pair of telescopic arms connected by one set of ends to the frame and by the other set of ends to the track at pointsspaced from the pivotal axis of the track, said arms having compression springs for yieldably resisting contraction thereof, a trolley mounted for movement on said track, means for pivotally supporting a dummy from said trolley for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a stop on the trolley for disposing said dummy in a substantially vertical position when the dummy is against the stop, a tension spring connecting the dummy to the trolley for causing the dummy to rest against the stop, a tension spring connecting the trolley to the pivot for the track to urge the trolley towards said pivot, a latch for retaining said trolley in a position spaced from the pivot, a solenoid for tripping the latch, and a switch operable for energizing the solenoid.

2. In a practice device, a horizontal supporting beam, a track pivotally mounted at one end on the beam for movement about a vertical axis, means for yieldably restraining said track against pivotal movement including a pair of telescopic arms connected by one set of ends to the frame and by the other set of ends to the track at points spaced from the pivotal axis of the track, said arms having compression springs for yieldably resisting contraction thereof, a trolley having two spaced parallel wheeled shafts mounted thereon with the wheels thereof rollingly engaging the track, means for pivotally supporting a dummy from said trolley for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a stop on the trolley for disposing said dummy in a substantially vertical position when the dummy is against the stop, a tension spring connecting the dummy to one shaft for causing the dummy to rest against the stop, a tension spring connecting the other shaft to the pivot for the track to urge the trolley toward said pivot, a latch for retaining said trolley in a position spaced from the pivot, and means for tripping the latch.

3. In a practice device, a horizontal supporting beam, a track pivotally mounted at one end on the beam for movement about a vertical axis, means for yieldably restraining said track against pivotal movement including a pair of telescopic arms connected by one set of ends to the frame and by the other set of ends to the track at points spaced from the pivotal axis of the track, said arms having compression springs for yieldably resisting contraction thereof. a trolley having two spaced parallel wheeled shafts mounted thereon with the wheels thereof rollingly engaging the track, means for pivotally supporting a dummy from said trolley for swin ing movement about a horizontal axis, a stop on the trolley for disposing said dummy in a substantially vertical position when the dummy is against the stop, a tension spring connecting the dummy to one shaft for causing the dummy to rest against the stop, a tension spring connecting the other shaft to the pivot for the track to urge the trolley toward said pivot, a latch for retainin; said -rq11ey in a position spaced from; .the pivot, a solenoid for tripping the latch, and a swjtehpperablefor ene WILLIAM rgi'zing the solenoid.

F. BURKE v 'ROGER, CONNOR."

REFERENCES CITED l j The ;fellqwing references are of file; of this patent; V

, reeord 1n the Number Banbury Dec. 5, 1950 

